Your Pre-Summer Holiday Pamper Check List

20/05/16

I’m half writing this post for you, and half writing it as a to-do list for me because let’s face it, chances are I’ll board my flight to JFK next week (whoop to the whoop) and suddenly become aware that oh sweet lord have mercy, I’m sprouting furry animals under my armpits.

I’m surviving solely on to-do-lists at the moment because my brain is too busy bouncing from what’s going on in the Quidditch World Cup (love ya HP audiobook) to what to have to dinner to whether I’ve replied to that email about getting paid. It’s a jolly hoot.

So yeah, I’ve put together a little beauty pamper check list so that you can go on holiday feeling like the flyest version of yourself. Cos let’s face it, everyone loves feeling fly.

Although obvs you’re beautiful with or without your hairy armpits and a dry chin.

3 DAYS TO GO: EXFOLIATE

My regime starts a few days before with the help of my handsome friend: the £1 exfoliating glove.

I use this across my legs, bum, arms and shoulders to help take off old fake tan residue, skin that basically looks like PVA glue and y’know, whatever else is lurking on me. Things like cat wee and coffee and cake crumbs.

It makes sure that a) my skin is healthy and ready to go in the sunlight without offending my eyes and b) my fake tan goes on like a silky dream.

3 DAYS TO GO: MOISTURISE

I get into the habit of actually slathering my body in moisturiser as soon as I’ve got out the shower so it can work with the exfoliation and make my shins feel a *bit* like a newborn baby’s cheeks.

You can’t moisturise before OR just after fake-tanning (or so the fake tan bottle says) and my legs get rashes if I apply just after I’ve shaved, so I’m all about getting on the moisturing horse a few days before.

2 DAYS TO GO: BODY HAIR

Some of you are probably real smart and fancy and get yourselves booked in for a wax. I had a bikini wax once from a woman who said she *used* to do Princess Diana’s lady bits and she put me in all sorts of positions and it was fun and all but £££££.

I’m more of a buy-whichever-disposable-razors-are-on-offer and shave everywhere with it kinda gal. And then pop a spare razor in my suitcase (obvs only for checked baggage).

I do this the morning/night before I fake tan to allow enough time for my pores to close back up so they don’t get aggy.

1 DAY TO GO: FAKE TAN

If at any point I’ve looked tanned over on Instagram (over here) it’s all due to my current boo Dr. Organic, which is available at Holland & Barrett.

I use two coats of the medium shade, applied with a tanning mitt (you can snap those up for a quid from Primark). I space the coats out by at least four hours so I can see where I need to pay extra attention because lol there’s a great big streak.

I also use it sparingly on my face because no-one wants an orange neck and porcelain face. And yeah, I tend to do this about 24 hours before I go so I can maximise looking golden whilst away.

1 DAY TO GO: BROWS

Admittedly, I haven’t let anyone else touch my brows in a good couple of years. I found that people were taking too much off them when I was trying to grow them so I could be twinnies with Cara.

Now I don’t even touch the shape, I just use some Tweezerman tweezers (da best) the remove straggly hairs underneath the natural curve.

Obvs if you’re feeling fancy get them threaded or tinted or whatever it is you crazy kids are doing now.

1 DAY TO GO: NAILS

I’d say do these the night before but lol, you’re obvs still throwing random MAC lipsticks into your suitcase and double checking you have your own passport and not like, your brother’s. And you don’t want those nails to smudge.

At the start of this year I was feeling all fancy and was like GELS EVERY TWO WEEKS PLEASE, but then I remembered I’m not a multi millionaire and also, my nails were in the WORST condition.

So yeah, get gels as a treat, OR just do a little mani at home with one of those four-sided nail files and a good, long-lasting top coat. My fave is still Seche Vite.

THE NIGHT BEFORE: HAIR

The night before I go away I like to have one of those dreamy long baths with a few candles and maybe a celebratory glass of wine because y’know, holiday.

I love the Liquid Hair I mentioned in this post, but pre-New York my priority is getting some of these mother-flippin brassy tones out by using a purple shampoo and leaving it in for 15-20 minutes like it’s a hair mask.

Also, those Aussie 3-Minute Miracle hair conditioning treatments are babin’. I tend to leave them in for even longer too for extra silky hair that smells like angels singing to me.

THE NIGHT BEFORE: FACE

In the last few weeks I’ve become a massive fan of restorative face oils and overnight masks and basically anything a bit heavy and hydrating you can whack on your face before bed.

I find they get rid of those dry bits that your make up clings to and makes you look like one big giant scab. Cute.

If I use them too often then they can make me breakout. But The night before a flight I ply it on and then again when I land (if it’s long-haul then I’ll make sure I have something squeezed into my hand luggage).